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Domnic Fernandes continues (Part II) his reminiscence of
Mapusa of the 1950s
http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=Newsamp;file=articleamp;sid=426
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A mix of reports from today's press about the Milli Council fact-finding
committee reports on Sanvordem violence. newkerala.com has some
interesting takes on the BJP reaction, Navhind Times (this item not
included) gives Parrikar's views that the members of the committee are
psychologically disturbed!
Herald, 7/4/06
Riots were politically planned: report
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 6 — The All India Milli Council (AIMC) today released a
“fact finding report” on the violence at Curchorem-Savordem which
mentions that “the attack on the Guddemol mosque on the night of March
2-3 and the violence against the Muslim community living in Curchorem,
Savordem and Guddemol, was part of a well planned strategy by political
forces to communalise Goan society.”
The AIMC appointed a 4 member team headed by SC human rights lawyer,
Nandita Haksar to investigate into the violence.
Addressing a press conference in the city Haksar said that the report
“was to try to probe the root causes of communal violence.”
The report covers the rise of communal politics in Goa, human rights
violations of Muslims in Goa, the mosques at Socorro and Ekta Nagar,
Mapusa.
With reference to the speeches made by the BJP party members, the report
mentions “that the BJP members including the ex-CM Manohar Parrikar and
the local MLA Ramrao Desai continue to spread the disinformation not
only about the actual incident but about Muslims in general. They are
fuelling hatred and anger against the Muslims by telling blatant lies,
spreading false rumours and making defamatory statements.”
Referring to Parrikar’s speech on March 4, 2006, it mentions that “the
former CM did not attempt to console the Muslims and his speech sent
out the message that people responsible for the violence are the victims
themselves.”
On the role of the administration during the violence, Haksar and her
team mentioned that “the civil administration has not acted with the
responsibility that is expected of them. It is true that the police did
offer protection to Muslims gathered inside the Curchorem mosque when
the violence started. However they failed to protect the property of the
Muslims.”
Further, the report mentions that “the Congress party has no programme
for countering the communalism and many of its MLAs and members are
former members of the BJP. ”
Haksar and her team have recommended that “the government must bring out
a white paper telling the people the truth about the communal violence
in Savordem-Curchorem.” Further “the government must have a programme
against communalism and initiate a public debate on the issue of
outsiders.”
The other recommendations are that “the Muslims of Guddemol must be
allowed to offer namaz which has been stopped by the local police and
must be provided with land (which they will purchase) to build a mosque
so that they can exercise their right to freedom of religion.” The
recommendations have been submitted to the AIMC which will submit it to
the government, Haksar said.
The team appointed include editor of Lankesh Times Kannada weekly
Bangalore, Gauri Lankesh, radio journalist, New Delhi, Vinod K Jose, and
editor of Guide magazine, Bangalore, Bilidale Eesha.
Also present was Iqbal Mohidin, member of the AIMC, Goa State.
Navhind Times, 7/4/06
Bring white paper on Sanvordem riots, says Milli Council
NT Staff Reporter
Panaji, April 6: The All India Milli Council has demanded that the
government of Goa must bring out a white paper telling the people the
truth about the communal violence in the twin towns of Sanvordem and
Curchorem.
Attributing the violence to the rise of the “communal politics”, the
report titled “Broken Peace” prepared by the fact finding team set up
the council underlined that “the attack on Guddemol mosque” on the night
of March 2/3 and the violence against the Muslim community living in
Curchorem, Sanvordem and the hamlet of Guddemol was a part of
well-planned strategy by political forces to communalise Goan society.
The report which was released today by a member of the fact-finding
team, Ms Nandita Haksar urged the state government to create the
atmosphere for the Muslims in Goa to feel secure and name the real
culprits, allow the Muslims of Guddemol to offer ‘namaz’ which has been
stopped by the local police and provide land to the Muslims in Guddemol,
which they would have to purchase, for building a mosque so that they
can exercise their right to freedom of religion.
Ms Haksar along with the other team members told reporters in the city
today that the particular communal riot was
